Page 66 of The Addendum

“And now you’re beyond beautiful and successful. I bet the Japanese kid got the mean girl pregnant and they’re now miserable together.”

She snickered. “Maybe. I didn’t keep in touch with anyone. I didn’t even buy a yearbook.” Her amusement became louder. “I don’t even remember most of their names.”

“Good. That’s the past. Look forward. You have a boy who loves you. Wants to dance with you and take you everywhere.” I shifted and hovered over her. “Wants to kiss you every chance he gets.”

“Then I have all I want.”

I brushed my lips against hers.

“Me too.”

20

RICHARD

The clink of the ice in my glass brought me out of my musings. Curled up in the corner of the sofa, Katy watched me with concerned eyes.

“Are you going to drink that or just let the ice melt?” she murmured.

I set the glass down on the side table and tugged on my cowlick. “Not much in the mood for it right now,” I confessed.

“You’ve been in your head since we left Halton’s earlier today,” she said.

“I know. Lousy company. Sorry.”

She leaned forward, resting her hand on my leg. “Don’t apologize. But I want you to talk to me.”

I sighed. I had been quiet on the drive home from Halton’s office, lost in my thoughts. I’d gone for a run, avoided my friends, shut myself in the office I had here, and pretended to work. Tried to shut off the constant barrage of worries in my head.

It hadn’t worked.

I had picked at my dinner, then switched on the fireplace, and we had sat in silence, Katy knowing I needed to work through things in my head before talking.

Except, this time, I couldn’t figure the situation out.

“Ashley is my daughter,” I said out loud, the words sounding strange when spoken. “I have another child, who isn’t a child, but an adult.”

“Yes.”

“And she hates me. Jesus, does she hate me.”

“I don’t think she actually hates you, Richard.”

I met my wife’s calm blue gaze. “It certainly feels like it. You could practically see the animosity rolling off her in Halton’s office today.”

She slipped her hand into mine and entwined our fingers. As usual, her touch calmed me, and I squeezed her hand in silent thanks.

“She’s reacting to the only truth she knows, my darling. She thinks you abandoned her.”

“But I didn’t know…” I trailed off as she shook her head.

“You know that. I know that. Her mother told her otherwise. All her life, she heard what a bastard you were. And the way she found out you were her father?” She shook her head. “Those damn shirts of yours. I always knew they’d be trouble,” she teased, trying to get me to smile.

My lips quirked. Katy had always thought my monogrammed shirts were over the top. She was right, but I loved them. Maddox had his signature style of vests, ties, and socks. I had mine—monogrammed cuffs.

“It threw the girl, Richard,” she continued. “She’s upset and emotional. Shocked. I’m certain the last thing she expected coming to meet Luc’s ‘family’ was to run into you. To realize the man in front of her was the father she thought deserted her.”

“I know that. But what am I supposed to do? How do I make her believe me that I didn’t know Juliet was pregnant?”